Hostage
by Lucius McLean
Summary: Chapter 12 The final. Will Dave survive?! Du Du Duuh
1. Default Chapter

"God this is boring!" Malucci said to Randi. It was completely silent, and there hadn't been any traumas since last day. "Why don't you go home then?" "Randi said, she was starting to get tired of Dave's complaining. "I can't, Festus says that it might happened something!, If I got her in front of me I would say" "Say what? Dr. Malucci?!" Dave hadn't noticed Kerry coming up behind him.   
  
He turned around embarrassed, "Oh, hi chief, I was just talking about my…. Hmm… cat" "If your cat is talking to you, maybe we call psyche down." "That's not necessary, I have to go to…um…. The bathroom, Bye!" He ran away not wanting anymore embarrassing moments. He escaped into an exam room where Benton and Cleo was making out. Shit! From the ashes to the fire! He and Benton hadn't talked since they had fought. Benton and Cleo pulled fast away from each other. "MALUCCI! What are you doing here!?!" Cleo yelled. "Sorry! Wrong room!" He ran outside before they managed to say more.   
"That guy annoys the hell out of me" Cleo said, before they started making out again. Benton just nodded. Malucci ran towards an other exam room, carefully looking after Kerry. He managed to come in to a empty room. Sitting down on the bed to catch his breath. Carter came walking inside "Hello Malucci, who are you running away from now?" He smiled. "Today I run from Corday, Festus, Cleo and Benton, almost a new record!" Carter laughed, "I can't figure out how you make people so angry at you" "I can't figure out how you make people so nice to you" They laughed. Abby and Kovac were sitting in the lounge and talked, and kissing. They just couldn't keep hands away from each other.   
  
Randi and Chuny stood out in the hall talking, they looked around, it had never been this quiet before, the board was completely empty. Randi tried to sell Chuny some clothes she had made. They were way to daring for Chuny, so she just stood there and laughed.  
  
Romano came walking in, "I still can't believe you changed out all the chocolate in the vending machines with fruit, rice-cakes and raisins!" He said to Kerry. "Why don't you buy a candy machine for upstairs then?" "We can't afford that you know, but you could at least sell a little chocolate here, for the kids I mean" "For the kids and you, you mean." Kerry smiled, and Romano let out a loud grumph. And walked to the elevator again.  
  
Jing-Mei were sitting by a desk catching up on charts, she was soon finished, when Malucci walked out of the Exam room. "Hello sexy!" He said to Jing-Mei. "Dave, why don't you go and play on the highway or something?" She snapped back. Carter walked by and said into Malucci's ear "That was five" Dave walked into the lounge embarrassing Abby and Kovac who still sat and kissed. At that same moment five men came running inside, one of the men was badly hurt in the shoulder. Carter ran towards them. "What happened?" One of the men ran pulled out a gun from his pocket, pointing it to Carter's head. "Everyone do as we say or this doctor will suffer!" The man yelled with an Italic accent. The whole corridor fell silent, and Carter's face had gone white. "Please, put the gun down" Kerry said comforting. "Stay away bitch or this doctors brain will paint the walls around here!"   
  
Kerry stopped talking at once looking at Carter. The other men started pulling everyone out on the floor. Kovac and Abby heard the noise and ran out, thinking that it was a trauma. They realised to late what it was. "Get here now" The gunmen had placed everyone out on a open spot were they had full control over them. They had also found Benton and Finch. Benton was looking at his former student, he was concerned it wasn't too long since Carter came home from rehab. and he doubted Carter could handle something like this so fast.   
  
Carter felt that the gun had moved down and pointed him in his back now, almost the same place were the butcher knife had entered his body. He felt his whole body shaking, he looked around on all the worried faces around him. Benton stared at him, looking really concerned, he tried to give him a little smile, but it was to hard. "Is there anymore doctors here? I wouldn't lie if I were you." Kerry weighted the options, she could hope that they wouldn't find Dave, or she could tell them, she found out that it was to risky and said "There is a dr. in the lounge" she said in a low voice. "Johnny, check it out!" The one man ordered. The one called Johnny walked to the Lounge door and kicked it open.   
  
"Hey doc. Get out here now!" Dave turned and saw right in to the mouth of a gun. "Holy….." Johnny looked up on the doctor, he looked familiar where had he seen this doc. before? "Malucci!" He said "So you really made to be a doctor, huh" Dave looked on the gunman "Fuck!" He knew this guy he had been one of the gang members Dave had been in. "Malucci that wasn't a nice way to greet friends, Get out NOW!" Dave walked slowly out in the hall, feeling the cold metal of the gun through his scrub-top.   
  
"Hey, Pepe, guess who I found?" The leader gunman turned and saw Dave Malucci. "Hey Dave, long time no see huh?" He said in an evil voice. Benton looked at Dave, it was obvious that he knew these guys. Dave felt everyone of his colleagues staring at him. "Ok, this is what we want: someone to help Pedro, with his arm and no fuzz." He pushed Carter to the others, "We don't need you right now, we have our friend Malucci here" Pepe said. "So I guess you wonder how we know dr. Malucci? You probably know that Malucci comes from Italy, but I don't think anyone know why he is in U.S." Kerry looked at Malucci, she had never seen him like this before, his face were hard and his eyes were black. "Dr. Weaver I'm so sor…" Dave started, but was interrupted by Pepe "Shut up!" Dave looked at him and said "Make me!" He felt like he felt in Italy again, brave and chilly. "Ok, you asked for it" Pepe said and kicked him in the stomach. He fell down on his knees, his body shaking with pain.  
  
"This shows that we are serious, so no more interruptions!" Cleo looked down on Malucci sitting on his knees, she started wondering if it was more to Malucci than just an annoying guy. It looked like he was in pain both emotionally and physically. "let's continue our story then" Pepe said. "Pepe my arm hurts like hell" "Ok, you" He pointed at Kovac, "take care of Jack" Kovac walked slowly to Jack and looked at his arm, It wasn't a big wound.   
"Ok here's the story. "Malucci here lived in Italy till he was nineteen, from he was 12 he was in one of the best gangs in Italy. We robbed houses and sold crack and lots of other stuff to get money. Malucci here was soon one of the best in the gang. We earned lot's of money every day. Do you remember Dave?"  
  
Dave had managed to get on to his legs again. "Shut up!" "Oh, it's nice to see that you still is fast with your comments, just to bad that no one will listen to them anymore. A woman came walking inside, she too had a gun. "Hey Pepe! Everything under control?" "You never knew who we found?" Pepe pointed with the gun on Dave. The woman looked on Dave "Malucci!" Malucci looked on the woman, he recognised her, she had been his girlfriend when he was in Italy. "Malucci, you are just as handsome as before" The woman said with a soft voice she walked towards him "Do you remember me?!" Kerry looked at the gunmen the one called Johnny pointed at with his gun so they couldn't do anything. The whole room was silent ER was silent.  
  
"Do you remember me?!" The woman repeated, getting angry. "Shut up Cass" "Malucci that wasn't nice, you shoal be polite with your ex. and when you have a gun in your back you should be really really polite!" "Did you miss me Malucci?" Cass continued. "No, I guess not since you just ran away from us" Cass spat on his scrub top. Malucci knew that he had to be strong, he had to look forward, couldn't look down. "No, I have never been so glad as when I left you." Kerry looked at Dave how could he be so calm, with a gun a few inches from his head. Cass moved the gun a little and pushed the trigger.   
  
Benton saw Dave falling backwards. Dave felt a piercing pain in his arm, the bullet had entered him a little over the elbow. "I guess that is the fourth time you have been shot Malucci" Pepe said. "We have to help him" Kerry said suddenly "He can bleed to death!" "So what, if I know Malucci good enough, you probably will be glad for it!, I wonder if it someone he haven't irritated to hell out of here. Everyone stand still, and not move and most of you will get out of here alive" She glanced down on Dave and repeated "most of you"   
Malucci looked up on Cass, he couldn't figure out how he why he had loved her.   
  
"How is it with Jack over there?!" Pepe yelled at Kovac who had just been finished and were putting on a bandage on Jacks arm. "He will survive" Kovac said angrily, he had seen how they talked to Dave and Kerry. "Ok if I get interrupted anymore now, someone will suffer" Pepe said. "So where were we, ah yes, so our gang got bigger and bigger, but then we started to murder guys too, instead of just beating them up, well Dave never did this, he became a coward, and soon he tried to get out of the gang.   
  
And he dropped seeing Cass her, which was his girlfriend. And we found out that he probably would tell the cops about everything, so we wanted to make his life a little shorter, but he managed to run out of the country. So we just have to kill him, So he never will be able to do that. We have known a long time that he was a doctor somewhere in Chicago, he always tried to see what the ambulances did with the victims we had beaten up. Too bad we found you here then Dave." Dave felt his heart pound hard, he had always been afraid that they would find him, he clutched his arm harder, his hand was covered with blood already.   
  
Suddenly Cass said something in Italian "Hey Pepe!, isn't that the doctor who was stabbed?", she pointed at Carter. "You remember? When I visited you in jail, we saw it on the news and you said that it was too bad it wasn't Dave?" "Pepe nodded he remembered, the doctor and his med. student had been stabbed, the doctor had survived but the med. student died. He remembered her good she had been so pretty. He answered to Cass in Italian "Let's have some fun with him!" Dave heard every word they said, he looked at Carter, and said back in Italian "He haven't done anything to you!, don't do anything to him!, It is me you are angry on!"   
  
Benton looked at Dave he was saying lot's of things in Italian, he seemed really upset, and every once a while Dave gave Carter a short look. Benton understood that it had to do something with Carter. Carter didn't notice Dave's glares he were staring hard on a little black spot on the floor. Pepe looked at Malucci "why? Is he a friend of yours?" Pepe smiled an evil smile and walked towards Carter. 


	2. Hostage

Carter looked at the man heading his way, he felt a little shiver go up his spine, this guys was definitely not nice. Dave spoke up in American this time "Let him be! He haven't done anything to you!, it's me you're…" Cass hit him in the back of his head with her gun before he was able to say anything more. He felt dizzy, and lost balance and then everything went black. Kerry looked at Malucci falling to the floor, she was shocked, it was like her worst nightmare, not able to do anything for friends, just look. She didn't know what to do, she was worried about Dave, but also worried of the last words he had said.  
  
Pepe stood right in front of Carter now looking at the doctors face. Pity it wasn't him or Dave that had died instead of that sweet little med. student. "Aren't you the guy who was stabbed a half year ago?" Carter felt his body freeze. He looked down on his feet trying to close his ears "Yeah I thought so" Pepe said. "I can't figure out how a doctor like you could practically murder a innocent little med. Student. I mean if you had done what you should have, she never had died? Isn't that right?" Carter felt tears pushing from his eyes, but were able to control them, didn't want to let them have the pleasure of seeing him cry.   
  
A moan came from Dave, he was waking up and his head throbbed like hell. He tried to focus on the surroundings but everything was so blurry. His arm hurt like hell too, he saw a pond of blood around him, and he knew that if he wasn't able to stop the bleeding, he would bleed to death soon. His sight became clearer and saw Pepe talking to Carter. Carter looked like he was going to cry every moment now.   
  
Abby looked at Dave, she really wanted to run over and help him but she knew she couldn't. "Answer me!" Pepe yelled to Carter. Benton knew he couldn't hold it much longer and tried to walk towards Pepe, he wanted to hit him so badly, but he felt Cleo holding him back. He knew she was right and stopped.  
  
"No" Carter said back to Pepe, it wasn't his fault. "Oh yes I think it was your fault, I think that the med. student, Lucy wasn't it? I think she hated you when the butcher knife entering her body over and over again. I think she blamed you." "Carter, don't listen" Kerry said before she was interrupted "Shut up Ugly bitch!" Carter felt his thoughts floating away to Valentines day, he could see Lucy saying everything Pepe said, while her blood made her white clothes red. "It was in your back you got stabbed? How do you like to try out a bullet there?"   
  
Carter felt the pain in his back blushing up just with the words, he lifted his hands up to the back as if he could remove it. "I just want to tell you that if anyone of you does anything we don't like it will be the second time you have to save this guy". Pepe turned and looked down at Malucci, "Hey pal, has the blood loss killed you yet?" Malucci looked up on him and said "Screw you" "you know if you hadn't left us in Italy, you wouldn't have putted all this people in to danger, but no, you always just think about yourselves. I think that your death should be slower, I mean all the fear we had of you going to the police, I think you have to pay for that."   
  
Carter was pale, and the little colour he had regained after rehab had disappeared again. He wanted to sit down he felt so dizzy and his back hurt worse than ever before. Pepe's words had really effected him, even if he had tried to close his ears. He sat down silent, but Pepe heard it, "Hey! Who said that you could sit down?!, get up! But all you others sit down"   
  
Kerry looked at Carter while she sat down, she saw that his back must be hurting him, his eyes were closed. She knew that Pepe did this just to torture Carter, It was psychic torture, she had read about it, it had been used lots of this torture during the wars.   
"Hey Johnny find something to entertain our friend Malucci with!" "Like what?" "For heavens sake Johnny we're in a hospital, use some initiative."  
  
Dave just wanted to kill Pepe, he couldn't believe they almost had been brothers back in Italy, he felt weak, probably from the blood loss, he started floating away, and the voices became lower and lower. "Hey Malucci, are you leaving?, It is too soon, we hadn't have any fun with you yet!" Pepe pointed at Benton, "you, give him something so he gets better! We aren't finished with him yet." Benton let go of Cleo's hand and slowly moved towards Dave. "Dave how are you?, try to stay with us, I'm going to make you better." Benton knew that this could buy Malucci more time, probably themselves to. A sudden ping from the elevator, made everyone jump.   
  
The elevator door opened and Romano walked out. He stopped instantly when he saw Cass pointing a gun at him. "What the heck is this?!?" "Hello baldy, walk over to your colleagues slowly and no one will get hurt, yet" Romano walked over to Kerry. He saw Benton bandaging someone's arm, when Benton moved a little, he saw the doctor called Malucci sitting on a bed looking awfully pale.  
  
"Sit down!" Pepe said to Romano. Carter looked at Romano and he wanted so much to sit down himself, his back sent shivers of pain out in the body. "Could someone please tell me what's going on here?!?!" Romano said out angrily, "We wanted to help Jack who was shot and then we saw that our enemy number one work here, and we just want to have some fun with him, is that okay with you baldy?" Pepe said enjoying all the power he had over this people.   
  
Johnny walked into the hall again, "I found a few funny things to use"  
Pepe walked over to Johnny and looked at the things he held. "Restraints, we can have lots of fun with them, Scalpels even more funny!" Kerry looked at Pepe as he looked at more of the things Johnny had found. How could anyone be so evil? Had Dave really been friends with these guys? There where so many questions but no answers.  
  
"Lay down on the bed!" He yelled at Dave "We're going to have some fun with you, and the scalpel Johnny is holding" Carter couldn't watch this they couldn't treat his friend like this. He walked towards Pepe, "Let him be, you have shot him in the arm, and given him a strong concussion, isn't that enough?" John heard a loud bang and felt a piercing pain in his back. He lost balance and fell down on the floor. "Carter!" Benton raised quickly up and ran towards his friend. "We have to save him!" Benton was almost crying why did always bad things happen to Carter. "Cass looked down on Carter and said "How many do you need to save him?" "I need two nurses and a doctor more" Benton said as he tried to get Carter to wake up. Cass pointed at Chuny, Abby and Kovac "You go and help him" They all stormed over to Carter got him on a gurney and ran into a room. "Don't want anyone to die, yet" Cass said. "And that doctor is not the first to leave this world". She glanced over at Dave "but maybe you is"  
  
Romano almost fainted, he had seen lots of gunshot wounds, but he had never been there when someone had got shot. The doctors and nurses who was left sat closer beside each other. None of them had believed this morning that they maybe would loose two of their colleagues and maybe be dead in the evening themselves.   
  
Johnny and Pepe pushed Dave down on the gurney, while Cass tied him down with the restraints. He fell helpless, he couldn't do anything, just lay there and observe, he didn't know for how much he could fight the sleepiness he felt.   
  
Dave looked at his other colleagues, Kerry sat there just wanting this nightmare to end. This guys was completely insane, had Dave been like this? She noticed him looking at here and she managed to give him a encouraging smile. He managed to smile a little smile back, it was very little but it was a smile after all.  
  
Benton looked down on Carter, it was to short time since he had seen Carter laying like this. "Come on Carter, hold on man, you can do it!" "He isn't breathing!" Abby said, this couldn't be real, it couldn't! "We have to intubate" Kovac didn't wait for an answer and putted the tube down Carter's throat. "He is breathing" Abby said. "Is there an exit wound?!" Benton looked carefully after. He knew that if the bullet was stuck in Carter's spine, Carter could be paralysed for the rest of his life.  
  
Pepe looked down on Dave who was remotely awake. "Feeling better Dave?" He said with an evil grin. He held up the scalpel, and showed it to Dave, "Back in Italy this would have been your favourite weapon, sharp and easy to handle, Yeah you would really have liked it. Let's try it out shall we?"  



	3. Hospital hostage

Kerry looked at her clock the hell had only lasted for a half hour, but it seemed like an eternity. Dave stared at the scalpel, he knew how sharp it was and how easy it cut the skin. Like cutting butter with a warm knife, but this wasn't butter, it was his skin. He swallowed hard knowing that soon he would see more of his blood floating on the floor.   
"Pepe! Let the other doctors and nurses out!" Malucci yelled, he felt dizzy of this short sentence. He hated the feeling of being weak, helpless and soon to be dead.   
  
Pepe grabbed the scalpel tighter and moved it over Dave's body. Where would it hurt most, but not kill him?. "Hey Cass, do you want to do this?" "You bet!" She smiled, "This will be so much fun Malucci!" "Screw you" Cleo looked shocked at Malucci, she couldn't understand how he could be so calm, when someone threatened him with a knife and other weapons.  
  
Abby watched when Kovac intubated Carter, she checked his blood pressure, and notified Benton about it. Benton was opening Carter's back, there was no exit wound so the bullet was still inside John's body, but where? They wouldn't let them take him up to the OR, or X-ray so Benton had to use all his skills as a surgeon.  
  
Cass took over the scalpel and made a little cut across his chest, not deep, but allowed a thin red line of blood colour his scrub top. He swallowed, he knew that this was the start of some painful hours, maybe his last. "Did that hurt Malucci?" Cass said smiling, "You will feel our anger" "Fucking bitch" Pepe lifted his fist and punched Malucci hard in the face. Blood started running out of his nose. "You are cowards as always, you beat only people who cant defend themselves" Malucci spat. "So you mean that?" Pepe took opened the restraints and continued speaking "Let's see if you have forgotten how to fight then."   
  
Kerry looked at Malucci who stood up, apparently dizzy. His face was showed more anger and seriousness than she had ever seen on him before. "Pepe what are you doing?" Cass asked a little annoyed, Pepe always had to show himself in any possible way, and it irritated the hell out of her, but anyway she looked forward to see Malucci fighting again. It had always been intriguing to see him fight back in Italy, he was a good fighter.  
  
The world seemed to spin around a lot, like he was on a kind of carousel, but this carousel wasn't funny, this carousel could cost him his life. He threw off his shirt, it would only be in the way. All the doctors around noticed some scars around on his muscular body, it seemed like this definitely not the first time he was hurt. "Ok, Malucci, hit me." Pepe said, this was going to be fun. Dave lifted his arm and punched Pepe hard in the face, they heard the sound of Pepe's nose breaking. "Yeah, that's it Malucci, come on hit me"  
  
Benton looked carefully over Carter's spine, he was relieved to see that the bullet wasn't stuck anywhere in there, but where the hell was it? He had to find it quickly, it wasn't many units of bloods down here.   
"How does it look dr.Benton?" Abby asked, she didn't know much about surgery.  
"It doesn't seem like the bullet is in his spine, but we don't have many units of blood left." She looked down on Carter's pale face, during the last year his face had changed, it was still handsome, but it was weighted down of to many worries for one person, far too many. She looked down into the wound, a little thing that didn't seem like it belonged there caught her attention.   
"Dr. Benton what is that?"   
"Thanks Abby, you have found the bullet."  
"So how does it look?"  
"It have stopped at a rib, it seems like it haven't done any major damage to the spine."  
  
By now the fight was gone far, They all could see that Malucci was a good fighter even with a wound in one arm. He hadn't been hit many times, but Pepe had. "Dave I start to get tired of this now, it was fun a while, but now I am tired of this." With these words he grabbed Malucci's wounded arm, and bent it. It felt like being shot over and over again. He screamed out in pain.   
  
Jing-Mei wanted to stand up, stop this, but she knew that she couldn't. If she did she knew that the situation would be much worse for them all, how they treated Carter showed that. How was Carter? It had been a while since Benton and them started working on him, her thoughts were interrupted by a new piercing scream from Dave. She looked at him, he was down on his knees with the arm bent behind his back.   
Pepe lifted his leg and kicked, kicked hard in Dave's chest. A new scream split the silence. Jing-Mei couldn't handle this, she stood up. "When are you going to stop torturing him." Cass looked shocked at her. "You have some nerve missy, If I was you I would sit down immediately and shut up." "Well, I'm not you, so stop torturing him" "Listen her missy, we can make your life into hell, so sit down, we'll stop when we are finished" And when he are dead Cass continued in he head. Jing-Mei sat down resentfully.   
  
Benton started to sew up any intern damage. When suddenly:  
"HE IS FLATTENING" Abby yelled. "Intern paddles!" Benton's forehead was quickly covered in sweat, come on Carter, don't give up on me! You have come to far to give up now. Come on! "Charge to 50!" "Charged to 50" "Clear" "Nothing" "Charge to 100" "Charged to 100" "Clear" They all started breathing again when the heartmonitor showed a sinusrythm.   
  
Now Pepe wanted to Cass wanted to join in too, they both kicked and punched Malucci who was unconscious on the floor. They looked down on the body while they continued kicking him. Cass glanced down on the watch. "Pepe we have to leave!" "Why?" "The clock is 11.30 p.m." It didn't make much sense to the ER staff, but both Johnny, Jack and Pepe, seemed to be stressed by this fact.  
  
"Tell Malucci that if he ever wakes up again, we will come after him, don't move until you have counted to thousand." They ran out of the hospital, and after a while they heard a car drive off. Quickly they had got Dave onto a gurney, he didn't look good. His face was swollen, bruised and he was bleeding from multiple cuts around his body.   
  
They rolled him into a trauma room, where they starting looking over the injuries. Kerry rang to the police immediately.  
  
Abby looked at Carter, "Dr. Benton how is he?" "I don't know, time will show, we just have to hope." Kovac suddenly noticed that there were lots of people in the trauma room next to this too. "Dr. Benton, I think the danger is over" He pointed at the room.   
  
Corday was checking for any damages, when she heard Dave vomit. "He is vomiting! Roll him over!" When they did, the food Dave had eaten for breakfast came out, but the worst sight was all the blood who was mixed with it. Suddenly Dave opened his eyes, he looked around clearly confused. "Dave, they have left" "Who?" "We're going to take good care of you Dave" "Who.............is Dave?" He was having trouble remembering words. He closed his eyed again. Corday looked at him, his was almost blue of bruises, and dried blood made the sight even worse. They took the necessary X-rays and scans, before wheeling him down again. By now the police had come, they were questioning everyone, to get best descriptions possible. Haleh was busy trying to comfort Chuny and Connie who was crying, they were almost in shock.  
"It is over now" Suddenly a flash of a blitz lightened the room, Haleh looked up, at least twelve photographers were taking pictures.   
Haleh's face darkened, newspapers never could let people be alone. "Get out of here now! Don't you think this people have suffered enough without you photographing their tears!" She chased them outside, but she knew they would come back.  
Corday looked at the X-rays, he had some broken ribs, but she was most worried for his brain. It wasn't any clear signs that anything was broken, but something's time just had to show.  
Benton and Abby rolled Carter up to the ICU, He had still not woken up. "Page me instantly when he wakes up" If he wakes up Benton though. The nurse nodded and he left the room, medically everything seemed to be okay with Carter, he just wondered if Carter would handle another recovery. Those bastards, if he ever got his hands on those guys.... Abby looked at the pale figure in the bed, it wasn't long ago since he was lying there like this, but then he was at least awake.  
After talking with the police Kerry walked into the room were Corday was sewing up his arm. "How is he?" "He woke up a minute, confused. But since that he have been lying still." "I never thought Dave would be involved with something like this." "it seemed like he have been trying to get out a long time" "I always thought he just was a irritating yuppie." Corday looked at him, we have to get him up to the ICU.  
Abby grabbed Carter's hand, at least he wasn't in a coma. Suddenly she saw his eyes flicker, before he opened them completely. He looked around, "Abby?" "Hey Carter, how are you feeling?" "My back hurts" "I know, do you want any painkillers?" "No!" "I'm just going to call for Benton, he was worried for you." "Abby, promise me that they don't give me any painkillers, I don't think I can handle that." He looked pleading at her with his brown puppy-eyes. "I am going to tell them not to. Relax Carter, you need sleep" "Thanks Abby, how is Dave?"  



	4. Failing recovery

"Corday is fixing him up" She walked over to the phone and paged Dr. Benton. He came running in just a few minutes later, breathing heavily.   
Carter tried to move his hand up in a small greeting, but it hurt to much.   
"Carter! How are you?"  
"My back hurts as hell"  
"Do you want some morphine?" Benton asked checking that everything was okay with John.  
"No! I don't want any painkillers, I'll live" He knew that if he felt the narcotics float into blood he would be tempted to start using again, and no way he was going to let that happen.  
Abby watched as Benton checked Carter and scrambling on his chart. Finally she asked  
"Dr. Benton, how is Dave? I haven't heard anything"  
"He is up in the ICU too, he had a big blood loss, and we don't know if the beating made any swelling in his brain. We don't know much more before he wakes up. If he wakes up" Benton's words swirled around in her head, IF he wakes up. Not when, if!  
"What room?"  
"321"   
"Thanks. John I go to check on Dave, I'll be soon back"   
Kerry swirled around in the ER trying to comfort everybody. Haleh was watching over the news reporters and photographers like an eagle, making sure everybody was okay. Damn! Every time anyone got hurt these damned people came to show the rest of the world the accident. Connie wiped away a tear and walked over to Weaver,   
"Dr. Weaver?"  
"Yes?"  
"How is Dave?"  
"I don't know yet, we don't know much more before he wakes up"  
"Do you remember their last words?"  
"What?"  
"Tell Malucci that if he ever wakes up again, we will come after him" She had forgotten that,   
"Thanks, Connie. If you'll excuse me." She ran as fast she could with her crutch towards the elevator  
Dr. Corday was in the elevator when Kerry stepped inside.   
"How is Dave?"  
"Nothing have changed"  
"You going down?"  
"Yes"   
"Tell the police that we need security in front of Dave's room"  
"What?"  
"I don't think Pepe are giving up that easy" I didn't take long time before a guard was set outside Dave's room, and it made everyone a little more safe. Weaver looked down on her clock, it was only five hours since the hostage keepers had left.  
John was lying in his bed, waiting for Benton. Just as last time Benton, wanted him up and walking very soon. He started thinking of the past year, so much had happened to him so fast. His thoughts were interrupted by Benton walking silent inside.  
"How are you feeling?"  
"I think I am in a good shape considering the circumstances"  
"We're going to take the walking a little slower this time, since you're not taking any pain medication" He walked out in to the corridor again and returning with a wheelchair. It took a good lot of strength to get Carter down into the wheelchair, and it wasn't without some swearing too.  
"Where do you want to go?"  
"I want to see Dave"  
"I guess you didn't hear what more happened to him?"  
"Is… is …he d-dead?"  
"No, he is living, but just barely"  
"No, I don't heard about the last things, I was pretty much out of it then" Carter smiled a little smile to his former teacher.  
They met Abby in the hallway, she seemed to have been crying, since her eyes were red and puffed. By the sight of the two men she smiled a little"  
"Hey Abby, are you ok?" Carter asked quickly.  
"It is I who should ask you that, but I'm fine. You?"  
"As good as I can be" He smiled a little. Benton looked at the two people, he wasn't exactly the best in relationships, but it seemed like small sparkles ran between them. He interrupted the silence  
"How is Dave?"  
"Nothing have changed much"  



	5. Bastard of a son

Pepe looked at the clock, they had managed to come to right time, no way another gang should take their hood. They just had to kill Malucci later, if he ever woke up. He smiled to himself and walked over to the others.  
Carter saw Dave's body lying bruised and lifeless, hooked up to all kinds of machines.  
Kerry looked through the window and saw Dave lying in the bed, and Carter sitting in a wheelchair. Oh shit she hadn't called their families, she ran fast down to the ER.  
"Joey Malucci" A male voice answered, he seemed drunk.  
"Hello, this Is Kerry Weaver from Chicago County, I am calling about your son, Dave…."  
"What the heck has that stupid boy done now?!"  
"He hasn't done anything wrong Mr. Malucci. He have been shot, and is in coma"  
"Yeah whatever" He answered carelessly. A female voice in the background interrupted  
"Joey, who is it?"   
"Don't interrupt me fucking bitch!" The phone was hung up. Kerry looked confused on the phone, had that been Dave's mother and father? She picked it up again and dialled another number.  
"The Carter mansion, who is speaking?"  
"This is Kerry Weaver from Chicago County, Is John's parents there?"  
"Just wait"   
"Denise Carter"  
"Hello, this is Kerry Weaver from Chicago County, are you John's mother?"  
"Yes I am"  
"There have been a situation down here, and John was shot in the back, but he is awake and are using a wheelchair"  
"Shot?! In the Back?!"  
"Yes, could you come down"  
"As soon as I have some spare time, Goodbye Dr. Weaver" the phone was hung up. Nice families, she knew how Carter's family was, but the biggest surprise was Dave's.  
The days went on and no one came and visit the two men. Dave was still unconscious, but Carter's recovery was good. The ER started to get back to normal, with normal shifts and normal humour, but everyone felt that they were missing someone. Finally Carter was ready to go home and relax a couple of weeks more. Benton picked up Carter's bag and gave him his crutches.  
"Ready to go home?" Benton asked smiling  
"Yes, but I would like to go down into the ER at first"  
"You sure?"  
"hundred percent" Carter smiled, he was wondering how the ER was now.   
They stood in silence inside the elevator, waiting for the familiar 'Ding' when the doors opened. Carter walked outside, having some pain in his back. Corday saw the young man walking out of the elevator.  
"Hey Carter, you're going home?"  
"Yeah, finally. I like the hospital better when I'm not a patient."  
"Do you need any help out in the car?"  
"No thanks, Benton helps me"   
"Take it easy now Carter, goodbye." She smiled to him and Benton and walked into the elevator. It seemed like the ER was silent today, just a few broken bones. It wasn't a long way to the elevator, but it was exhausting and painful.   
"Carter, are you okay?"  
"Yeah I'm fine"   
"Take it slow" Benton advised  
"If I go any slower now, I will go backwards." They had the admin. desk in sight now, seeing that most of the doctors stood there and talked. They seemed to be a little quiet, more than usual, but maybe it was just the absence of Dave's laughter.  
Chuny saw Carter coming towards them.   
"Carter!" She smiled, all the other doctors turned towards him.  
"How are you Carter?" Abby asked after all the nurses had given him a hug each. The nurses returned back to the gossip  
"I'm okay, just tired" He answered. Abby looked at him, he had blue bags under his eyes.  
"Do you have a place to stay?"  
"My apartment"  
"Alone?"  
"Yes"  
"You can't stay alone now, you should stay over with someone!"  
"I am fine on my own"  
"Are you sure?" She asked him with her voice full of scepticism.  
"hundred percent"  
"I'll come over later" She said  
"You don't have to"  
"I know, but I come anyway" He gasped.  
"I'll better be going before I fell asleep here"  
"Bye Carter, take care." Abby said  
"Bye" All the nurses said in choir to him. Benton stood and read some charts while waiting for Carter to be finished.   
"Are you ready to go?"  
"Yes, sorry that you had to wait."  
"Don't worry about it Carter" At the same moment Kerry came running inside.  
"Peter, big trauma coming in, we need you."  
"What about Corday?"  
"She is the middle of a very complex operation"   
"But.."  
"Come on, let's go" She yelled at him, before running outside not noticing Carter.   
"It's okay Dr, Benton, they need you, I'll take a cab or the EL or something" Benton was going to argue but had to run to the ambulance outside. Carter noticed that his suitcase was on the floor, how could he reach that without falling, or losing his crutches? He tried to bend down, but pain flashed inside his spine every time he moved. He gave up.  
"Abby?" Abby was standing at the admin. desk looking over some test results.  
"Yes?"  
"Could you help me with my suitcase? It's kinda hard to bend down"  
"Off course" She walked over to him  
"I am helping you to the cab!" She said, smiling. She liked him, a lot. Not as much as Luka, but almost.  
"Thanks Abby. How are you handling this?"  
"Fine, I guess. The first day after the crime was hard, I was nervous that Pepe and Cass would come back. I'm still am, but not as much as before, I mean it doesn't help walking around worrying"  
"I guess you're right" Carter replied. Abby helped him into the cab, and gave him his bag.  
"Take it easy."  
"Yes mam." He smiled at her, and watched as she disappeared out of sight. Two weeks home, alone.   
After the trauma, Kerry walked up to Dave's room, he hadn't moved a bit since the crime. The bruises started to get a little fainter, but his face and body was still pretty swollen. She took his hand.  
"Dave, I know you cant answer me, but I just wanted you to know that you are a great doctor, and a great friend.  
Suddenly a big man entered the room, making Weaver jump of surprise.   
"Who are you?"  
"Ron Malucci"  
"Nice meeting you, I'm dr. Weaver"  
"Yeah whatever, listen I got this notice from the insurance company, they say that they have paid what they had to, and that we have to pay the rest of the time Dave is in the hospital." Kerry looked at him.  
"What kind of insurance is that?"  
"The one I could afford" Ron snapped  
"We can surely figure out something"  
"That will require lots of paperwork I guess"  
"Some" Kerry looked at the man, he was unshaved and smeeled a mix of alcohol and sweat.  
"Then take him off the machines"  
"What?!"  
"Take that bastard off the machines"  
"You don't mean that?!"  
"That boy have cost far to much for me already. 'not as much as you have used at alcohol' Weaver thought for herself  



	6. I'll never be the same again

"Please let him have a few more days to recover!"  
"A week, but if he isn't awake then…." Kerry nodded, she wondered how a man like that could get a son like Dave.  
"Bye" Ron said shortly before walking down the hall towards the elevator.  
When Carter opened the door to his apartment he was met by a smell of warm air mixed with the smell of bad food. He threw the food into the garbage can and opened the window before sliding exhausted down on the couch.  
His back hurt as hell, but no way he was taking anything, no matter how much he wanted it. John walked into the bathroom and looked at the little shelve where he kept his meds. Furiously he grabbed all the boxes and emptied them down in the toilette. He wasn't going to start with the same hell again.  
Abby saw Weaver coming out of the elevator looking awfully pale,  
"Are you okay, Dr. Weaver?"  
"I just talked to Dave's father, he want's him off the respirator.  
"But that will kill him!"  
"Most likely"  
"Did you explain that to him?"  
"Yes, but he said that he had used far to much money on Dave already" Abby stood speechless and just looked at Weaver.   
"Is there nothing we can do?"  
"No, it is Dave's father who has the last word in this case." Abby didn't believe what she heard, could this really be true? Was Dave going to die?   
She walked around as in trance, she didn't feel anything for Dave, it was just so unreal that he maybe would be dead in two weeks. She didn't notice were she was going and crashed right into Haleh.  
"Abby? Are you okay?" Haleh asked looking at Abby's pale face  
"No…I…Dave…" Abby couldn't control her tears anymore, and they came as raindrops rolling down her cheeks. Haleh took her arm around her and lead her into the lounge.  
"Abby, what is it?"  
"Dave's father, Dave off machine, Dave Dead." She only managed short sentences between the sobs.  
"Is Dave dead?!" Haleh asked shocked. Abby managed to control her tears.  
"No he isn't, but Dave's father wont pay for his hospital bills more than a week, if he hasn't woken up then, he wont's him off the machines!" Now the words flew out of her.  
"Are you serious?" Haleh asked shocked, Abby just nodded.   
Carter switched through the different channels on the television, hundred channels to pick from, but the only thing which was showed was golf, soaps and commercials. He threw the remote down on the table, what the hell could he do now? Every movement sent a flinch of pain up his spine. At the same moment the phone rang, forgetting the pain for a second he sat up quickly, too quickly. It was like a hundred of elephants were running on his back. He managed to control himself from screaming out, cause that would have made the neighbours think it was the police.  
"John Carter here"  
"Dr. Carter?"  
"Yes, who is this?"  
"So you are alive?"  
"Who is this?"  
"Then we come over for some more fun" The phone was hung up. Pepe smiled to Cass,   
"He is alive."  
"Dave?"  
"No, that Carter dude"  
"We can't go over there now!"  
"I know, but he doesn't!" Pepe smiled and Cass laughed.  
"You are evil Pepe!" She smiled while giggling  
"I know!" They started kissing, hot passionate kisses  
Carter looked at the phone, his hands shook a little, had that been Pepe? He said they were coming over, was it some kind of a sick joke? Carter swallowed, and felt that he would break down very soon. He picked up the phone again and called County  
"County ER what can I do for you?" He heard Randi's voice faint as if she was far away. The room spun around.  
"This is dr. Carter could you get Abby?"  
"You okay Dr. Carter?" Randi asked worried.  
"Just get Abby, quick"  
"Ok hold on" Randi said, he heard her calling for Abby in the background, and soon Abby picked up.  
"Carter?"  
"Abby, Pepe called"  
"What? Pepe?"  
"He said they would come over for some more 'fun' "  
"I'll be right over" Abby said quickly, and hung up  
  
Dave opened his eyes, and looked around in the room. Hmm. It seemed like a familiar place, Oh yes the hospital. Why did he have a headache like this, had he been drinking to many beers? Suddenly he noticed that he was hooked up to at least five different machine, each giving a small beep.   
He found a call button on next to his bed and pushed it. After a few seconds a doctor in blue scrubs came inside, she had red, long and curly hair. When she saw him she ran over to him.  
"Dave how are you?" She asked with an English accent   
Dave knew he had seen this woman before, he just couldn't seem to recall her name. He pointed at the tube.  
"I can't extubate you yet, we have to make sure your lungs function properly first." She handed him a notebook and a pen "Just write if you want to ask about something." He took the pen, and started writing  
"I know I have seen you before, but I can't remember your name"  
"Dave, I'm Elizabeth Corday, you have probably a little memory loss, I have to page Kerry Weaver, she really wanted to be paged at the same moment you woke up"  
"Festus?" Dave wrote smiling  
"Yeah, I think you will be fine"  
Elizabeth smiled at him and walked over to the phone.   
  
Kerry Weaver hear her page beep, "Excuse me mr. Bryan" She looked at the little display, her heart jumped, it was from Dave's room. "I come back soon" She walked fast over to the elevator. It seemed like the elevator ride took an eternity, when the doors finally opened she ran right into Romano,  
"What's the rush?" He said a little irritated  
"I got a call from Dave's room"  
"In that case I join you" They both ran over, Romano was hoping for a chance to show his qualities as a doctor.  
  
Abby rang the door bell to Carter's apartment, she rang over and over again, getting worried since no one opened. After a while the door slowly opened and Carter peered outside. When he saw who it was he opened it completely. She looked at him, he was a mess.   
"How are you?" She said while taking off her coat, he showed her the way to the living room.  
"I don't know how much I can stand against it anymore"  
"Against Pepe?"  
"Him and the wanting..." He looked at her serious. She knew what he was going to say  
"For drugs?"   
"Yes, I think the world is punishing me"  
"Punishing you? For what?" She asked him  
"Lucy" He said shortly, and looked down into the floor  
"I thought you were over that?"  
"I had started to think it was not my fault, but who am I kidding? Of course it's my fault. And I'm not the only one thinking that either." He had started wandering around  



	7. Die, die my darling

"Carter, listen to me! It's not your fault"  
"I try to tell me that myself, but something in the back of my head says that it is." He took his hand through his hair and continued "Every time by back hurts I think of that day, and I don't think I can keep on for much longer" Abby looked at him, his eyes were blank of water as if he was going to cry.  
"Carter, you are a wonderful man, it wasn't your fault!" Abby said, worried.   
"Thanks" He said flatly.  
"Do you have anywhere to stay?"  
"Yes, my apartment"  
"Do you think that it safe? I mean with Pepe and.."  
"Drugs you mean, are you worried that I will start again?"  
"No Carter, that wasn't what I meant…." She said, not wanting him to think she didn't trust him, he interrupted her  
"I am afraid, that I maybe start again"  
"You're staying with me!" Abby said more as a command than a offer, no way he was going to be alone.  
Corday was checking that Dave was okay, other than the amnesia when Kerry came inside. She saw Dave's eyes being open.  
  
"Hey Dave, we have missed you" He smiled to her. To Corday she asked "How is he?"   
"He has a little amnesia, couldn't remember my name" Corday went on looking over the machines and noting on the charts.   
"Hey Dave, how are you?" She asked.   
Dave looked confused up, he knew he had seen these people before, but he couldn't remember their names. A little bald guy came into the room, if he didn't have the tube down his throat he would have started laughed.  
Corday checked the rest of the machines,  
"Dave, you are ready to be extubated now, you know the drill" He took a deep breath and she pulled out the tube, after a long time with coughing he settled back on the pillow. First now Romano took a step forward,  
"How are you dr. Malucci?" He asked politely, after the hostage situation Romano had started thinking of Malucci with respect. Dave answered in a low voice.  
"I'm sore, I don't really remember what happened"   
"Pepe and…." Kerry didn't get any time to say anything more, before Dave stopped her. The memories started flooding back, he remembered everything, Pepe, the gang, Carter….  
"How's Carter?"  
"He is fine, he is at home recovering" Kerry smiled, "Go to sleep now Dave, you need it"   
Outside the room Kerry found out that she probably should call Dave's father and mother, she knew they probably wouldn't care, but she had to call.  
"Rosa Malucci here" a drunken voice answered  
"Hello this is Kerry Weaver from Chicago County, I'm calling about Dave Malucci"  
"Listen, take him off the machines in six days, we wont pay"  
"He have woken up" She said  
"Good for him, anything else?"   
"It would maybe be nice if you stopped by….."   
"Ok, then goodbye" Rosa answered not bothering to listen anymore.  
Kerry put the phone back on place, she had hoped that Dave's mother would be more caring.  
Dave's recovery went fast, he walked around a little in his room every day, and his appetite was increasing. When Kerry stepped into his room, he sat on the bed and read.  
"Hello Dave"  
"Hey Chief"  
"How are you?"  
"Better each day" He put away the book  
"Dave, I wondered if we could talk a little bit about Pepe and Cass?" He looked down on the floor  
"Ok" He answered shortly  
"I just wondered how you knew them?" She looked at him curiously  
"I was afraid you were going to ask about that. When I was around fifteen years old I lived in Italy with my family, we weren't exactly a happy family. Dad and mum drank a lot more than the should, I tried to be as little home as possible, and then I met Pepe and Cass. We started hanging out together, and soon some other guys joined us too. We started taking money from children when we didn't have any ourselves. Well, one thing led to another, and we were soon doing bigger crimes. I knew what we did were dangerous, but I wouldn't leave, it was the only place I belonged you know. One day I came home a little late, dad and mum started yelling at me, suddenly dad hit me." He stopped talking and tried to hold his tears back.   
"Then mum joined him, they hit and kicked. I managed to get away from them, away from the house. When I met Pepe again he said they were going to murder a guy, I couldn't do that, I just couldn't. So I ran away from them too. I got into Grenada by a Children-off-the-street-program." He stopped again and took a deep breath. "Okay that was my life story, now it's your turn" He said trying to escape the subject.  
"Dave, this is nothing to be ashamed of, you did the right things, you got away!"   
"Yeah, but till what price?"  
  
Pepe threw the newspaper angrily across the room.  
"Pepe what is it?" Cass asked feeling a little worried.  
"That motherfucker Dave woke up, he is alive!"  
"You gotta be kiding?!"  
"No, read it yourselves, first page, on the bottom: 'Dave Malucci woke up again. The young dr. Malucci woke up today after a long time in coma, after the shaking hostage situation in the fall at Chicago County' "  
"Then we have to kill my previous boyfriend"   
  
To be continued?  



	8. Reunion

Thanks for the reviews, and a huge thanks to FatCat. The She Devil and I are working on a story together, DM/JMC story!  
  
  
  
Carter woke up early in the morning, where was he? Then he remembered, he was in Abby's apartment. He glanced over at the watch and saw that it was 6 a.m. He stretched, and felt that pain in back, the pain he had felt the last weeks. He stood up and walked into the kitchen, Abby was still asleep.   
  
John Decided that he wanted to show Abby how much he appreciated her help, so he decided to go to the bakery and by some fresh bagels. Outside he felt the wind blowing fresh against his skin, it seemed to be a really okay day.   
  
He started whistling on a little tune from a song he made up, and walked cheerfully down towards the bakery. Suddenly he crashed into a woman, who lost her bags  
"Sorry" He said helping her get together her groceries. He smiled at her and thought he had seen this woman before, she had blond, short hair, and reminding him of someone.  
"Do I know you?" He asked smilingly  
"Is that a pick-up line?"  
"No, Seriously"  
"When you say it I think I have seen you before" The both held out their hands.  
"John Carter"   
"Susan Lewis"  
"Susan?"  
"Carter?"   
"Wow, you have changed!" He said, or maybe he just had started forgetting how she looked.  
"And you're the one to talk" She said, looking at the young man in front of her.  
"Why are you here?" He asked curiously  
"I have been transferred Mercy, I want to start my own life now, not just living on Chloe's happiness"  
"I know what you mean"  
"So how are you Carter?" She looked at him, he was much older than last time she saw him, he looked older than his age. He seemed to be tired.  
"I'll guess I'm fine. So have you spoken to Mark yet?"  
"Guess you're fine?"  
"Let's just say that there have happened a lot of things since you left" He said, didn't want to bring all his problems into conversation their first meeting.  
"So how is Mark?"  
"Well, he is married, and he has a little girl, Ella"   
"Yeah, no wonder that someone have grabbed him, he is a wonderful man. So how about you? Are you seeing someone?"  
"Nah, not at the moment, I'm looking for the right one"  
"Yeah, me too"   
"So are you going to visit at the hospital anytime soon?"  
"Yeah I was thinking of drop in sometime today. Are you working?"  
"No, I'm on sick leave"  
"Sick leave?" She looked at him, he didn't seem to be sick, just a little tired  
"Long story, can tell you sometime. Maybe we could go to the hospital together? I have also someone I want to visit"  
"Yeah sure. Now?"  
"I just have to bring these bagels up to Abby's apartment."  
"Abby?"  
"Yeah, I'm staying with her at the moment" Susan decided that she wouldn't ask any further questions, before he wanted to tell her himself  
"I'm sure you like her, she's an ER nurse"  
  
Pepe stared at the little map of the apartment building, it didn't seem to hard to break inside. After what he knew Malucci would be written out from the hospital in three days, three days to plan a murder.   
  
Dave stretched in the bed he was still sore, but he was better than earlier. Jing Mei knocked on the door.  
"Hey Dave"  
"Hey Jing Mei" He didn't come up with any comments because he felt partly guilty for what had happened.  
"How are you?" She gave him a little flower that she had brought.  
"Thanks, I'm a little tired, and sore"  
"No wonder, it was pretty rough"   
"Yeah, I know what you mean, do you know anything about Carter?"  
"Yes, he is on sick leave, he said that he wanted to come and visit sometime soon"  
"How are things down in the ER?"  
"It's a little silent, without you and Carter."  
"I guess Weaver don't have to yell so much anymore?"  
"I thinks she miss you too" Jing Mei sat down in a nearby chair. "So when are you out of here?"  
"Three days, I can't wait. I like the hospital much better when I'm not the patient." He smiled "Are you okay? I mean after…"  
"Yeah, I'm fine, I was kinda shacky that night though"  
"I'm sorry"  
"Sorry for what?" She started wondering if he blamed himself for it all.  
"For getting you people into this"  
"Dave! It's not your fault, no one is blaming you!" She almost yelled out to him.  
  
Carter walked inside and held open the door for Susan.   
"Just wait here for a moment" He said carrying the groceries into the kitchen. Susan looked around, and wondered why Carter was living here. John put the groceries down and felt his back hurting a little. Abby came out of the shower, luckily she got dressed inside the bathroom. When she opened the door she was surprised by seeing a woman standing there  
"Who are you?"  
"I'm Susan. Susan Lewis, I'm a friend of Carter"  
Carter walked out from the kitchen when he heard some voices.  
"Oh, Abby this is Susan Lewis, she's a friend of mine.  
"Hello, I'm Abby Lockhart"  
"Susan used to work at County when I was a Intern, and Med. student" Carter said making Abby laugh. Carter looked at her "What are you laughing at?"  
"I just can't picture you as a med. student"  
"Yeah, he was kinda nervous, back then" Susan said smilingly,  
"Shall we go?" Carter asked  
"Yeah sure, we'll catch up later!" Susan said already starting to like Abby.  
They walked out of the building  
"So do you want to go or should we take the El?" He asked  
"I would like to go, then we can catch up" She smiled.  
"Ok" He said, hoping that his back wouldn't let him down now  
"So what have a happened to you the last years? Are you a surgeon now?"  
"No, I changed to ER, when I found out that I liked that much better."  
"Yeah, I never though you were a surgeon type. So what was all the other things you said you would tell me?" She asked curiously.  
"Well it's a long story"  
"It's a long road left" She said  
"Ok. On Valentines day last year my med. student and I got stabbed from a schizophrenic patient. I survived, but Lucy died. I had a hard time recover, and I started overmedicating. After a while I got addicted, I stole Morphine, Demerol and Fentanyl from the hospital. Abby saw me and they sent me to rehab. I came back to work, and then I relapsed, this is my last chance. Abby is my sponsor. And then not long ago there was a hostage situation at county, I got shot in the back. The guys who is still on the loose, and the fright for them, almost made me relapse again." He took a deep breath, till now Susan just had walked with him an listened.  
  
"It seems like you have been through a pretty rough time" She said trying not to show how shocked she was.  
"How about you, anything happened to you?" He asked trying to get away from the topic.  
"I haven't been through anything special, I just want to start a life on my own, and I couldn't to that in Phoenix."  
"I'm glad you came back" He said smiling.  
"So am I, I have missed you Carter"  
"Yeah, I missed you too." By now they were in front of the hospital, "are you ready?" He asked  
"Yeah sure, let's go inside"  
  
To be continued?  



	9. Limping forward

I know that the previous parts of this story have been a little boring, but the action starts again!! Thanks to FatCat and The She Devil~! You keep me writing! And thanks to all you who have rewieved and read!  
  
It seemed like a quiet day, only enough patients to keep the doctors busy. Malik was the first one to discover Carter, and he yelled it out across the whole ER. Not long after most of the nurses had hugged Carter.   
It was Yosh who discovered Susan first  
"Hey Susan, Susan Lewis!" He walked over and gave her a hug  
"Hey everybody" She smiled.  
"Are you back?" Yosh asked  
"I am back in Chicago, but I works at Mercy"  
"Ahh, have we done anything wrong?" Malik joked.  
"No, but it wasn't any openings here." She replied, and discovered how she had missed her friends. All the time Carter had been standing there smiling, feeling a little uncomfortable.  
"I think I go to visit Malucci" He said and headed towards the elevator. Susan looked after him and saw him limping a bit.   
Malucci was in his bed reading a magazine. John knocked on the door.  
"Hey Carter!" Dave smiled.  
"How are you feeling?" Carter asked while sitting down in a chair.  
"A little sore, but I'm soon out of this place, luckily"  
"Yeah, I know what you mean you get kinda tired of seeing this place from a patients view"  
"So how are you?"  
"Ok I guess, I met an old friend, Susan Lewis. She used to work here when I was a med. student and intern"  
"Is she sexy? Sorry, cant help myself. Gee you as an intern, wonder how that would be" He smiled and tried to picture Carter as a med. student, which only made him laugh  
"What are you laughing at?" Carter smiled  
"I tried to figure out how you would look like a med. student" Only by saying this he broke into laughter again. Carter started laughing too, but suddenly he felt a little flash of pain in his back, he stopped laughing and stood up and moved a little. It usually was like that, when he sat the pain often came back, very often.  
"Are you okay?" Dave asked worried.  
"Yeah sure" Carter just said, who was he to complain when Dave had been in coma the last two months?  
  
"So what are you going to do with our friend?" Cass asked  
"I have the perfect plan, Dave is being written out of the hospital tomorrow, and when he comes home we will be there" He smiled  
"I like that, are we going to kill him at once or should we do as last time?"  
"I'll guess we have to see, this time we just have to make sure that he really dies"  
"Yeah, I don't want to think more about him, what about that Carter dude?"  
"I think we should concentrate Dave in the first place, then if that succeed we go after the other guy"  
  
After talking with Dave a long while Carter looked at the clock and saw that he probably should go back.   
"I think I have to go Dave"  
"Yeah, I really appreciate you coming."  
"Bye!" Carter said and started walking out of the room  
"Carter?" Dave called after him  
"Yeah?"  
"You are one of the bravest men I know, Thanks" Dave said, Carter smiled and walked out of the room.  
  
When Carter came down into the ER, Susan was at the admin. desk talking with all the nurses.  
"Hey Carter!" She said when she saw him coming towards them.  
"Hello" He finally reached the admin. desk and could sit down. Each step he took, hurt like hell, and the right leg didn't always do as he wanted to, he was often limping.  
"So have you talked to Mark yet?" Carter asked.  
"No, his shift start in five minutes, he hasn't arrived yet."  
"How was Dave?" Haled asked.  
"He was starting to get a little tired of being a patient and he look forward to go home tomorrow"  
  
Mark walked into the ER and headed straight to the lounge not seeing all the people at the desk. He didn't look up before Susan called his name, he looked up, and saw Susan.  
"Susan?"  
"Hey Mark, long time no see!"  
"Yeah, how…why…have?"  
"I have started working at Mercy!" Mark walked over and hugged her.  
"I have missed you Susan"  
"So have I" Susan replied, they split and Mark saw Carter sitting there.  
"Hey Carter why are you here?"  
"I have been visiting Dave" Carter said and stood up again when he felt the usual pain in the back again.  
"Do you want to grab a coffee at Doc Magoos?" Mark asked Susan and Carter.  
"Yeah sure!" Susan replied,  
"Nah, I think I should go back soon" Carter said, feeling that he needed to move around a little.  
"Okay, see you guys later!" Susan said, and they headed out of the hospital. Carter said goodbye to and started walking towards Abby's apartment.  
  
Luka looked at Abby, then he continued to speak,  
"And now he is living with you!"  
"We're just good friends, Carter and I can talk about everything together" She said, and realised to late what she had done.  
"If you can't talk with me, I find no reason why we should be together. It's over Abby" He said. He stood a few seconds and looked at her with his I'm-very-hurt look, before he turned and walked out of the apartment.  
"Luka wait!" Abby yelled after him, but he just walked away.   
She sat down in the couch and felt her tears running down her cheeks.   
  
Carter walked inside the apartment and heard some silent sobs, he looked around and saw Abby sitting in the sofa crying.  
"Abby? What's wrong?"  
"Luka and I broke up" She managed to say between her sobs.  
"Why?"  
"He thinks that you and I have an affair." She said. He sat down beside her.  
"Abby, I'm sorry" He said  
"Huh? Why are you sorry?"   
"It's my fault, if I hadn't..."  
"Oh shut up Carter! That's bull and you know it!   
Suddenly they were like glued together in a kiss.  
  
Pepe looked at his gun, it was black and the cold metal made him want to kill someone.   
"Tomorrow, tomorrow I'm going to kill that guy" He said to himself while staring at the gun.  
  
To be continued?  



	10. Honey! I'm Home!

Here is Part 10! Thanks for Reviews everybody!!  
  
Finally! Dave packed his bags, he couldn't wait to get home. He just hoped that the food in the refrigerator hadn't turned into green mutants yet.  
He picked up the bags and started walking towards the elevator, first now another thought crossed his minds. Pepe and Cass, what about them? He just shock it off, and walked into the elevator.   
He looked around in the ER, everything was like he used to. He walked over to the admin. desk.  
"Hello" He said smilingly to Randi  
"Dave!" She smiled and before he knew it she had hugged him. Now the other people in the ER had noticed Dave. They all gave him hugs and asked how he was and everything. Finally he could get out, and take a cab home.  
  
Pepe opened the window and managed to squeeze himself inside, then he, walked over to the door and opened it for Cass. They had decided that it should be only them, it would make less noise that way. Cass smelled in the air,  
"Ugh it smells like a garbage dump here!"  
"Yeah, but soon the air will be filled with the smell of blood and fear!"   
  
Carter opened his eyes and looked around, suddenly he saw Abby, next to him, in the bed. And suddenly he remembered everything, he hadn't been drinking or something like that, it was just that he thought it was a dream. Abby rolled over and leaned her head against his arm, she was still asleep. Her hair tickled his chest, he bent his head a little and smelled her hair, it was a wonderful smell, and he found himself happy for the first time in a long, long year.  
  
Dave paid the taxi driver and picked up his bags, he looked forward to be home again, but not to the smell, that surely filled the whole apartment. If he didn't remember wrongly, he had a fish on the counter. He smiled that would be nice, a three months old fish, surely green, probably white too. He started walking up the stairs, and suddenly he laughed a little, he was going home for the first time in three months, and he worried about a fish?!  
  
He put the bags down and found from the key from his pocket. He stuck it inside the lock and turned over, and pushed the door open. As he had thought, it was dark, warm and smelled like dumpster. He turned on the light and walked into the kitchen. The sight of the fish on the counter made him want to puke, nothing at work looked as bad as that. He quickly put the fish in a bag and put it down.  
  
Suddenly he felt that someone was there, just a feeling. He grabbed a knife on the counter. Something was suddenly near his back, he turned quickly and was suddenly face to face with Pepe.  
  
"Nice meeting you again Malucci, I told you that you would be smart if you didn't wake up, but since you did….."  
"Fuck off Pepe!" Malucci spat, he felt the knife in his hand and he quickly stuck it into Pepe's leg. Pepe fell down on the floor, screaming in pain and cursing Malucci.  
"That wasn't wise!" A female voice said and he looked around, Cass was standing there and pointed at him with another gun. Malucci knew when he had lost and he dropped the knife.   
"Help him!" Cass ordered and nodded towards Pepe.  
"Why the Fuck should I do that? You're going to kill me anyway!"  
"Yeah, we are, but the longer you do as we say, the longer you live. Now help him!"   
Malucci started walking towards the bathroom.  
"Where do you think you are going?"  
"I have to find some towels!" He said angrily  
"Do you think I'm stupid?"  
"Yeah, I think you are!"   
"Shut up Malucci!" Cass followed after him into the bathroom, and back into the kitchen. He started tying the towels around Pepe's wound and gave him some painkillers.  
"I cant do much more than this, I don't have the things I need"  
"Well, thanks for that Dave, then we should maybe start the murder" She said coldly.  
  



	11. More Than I Can Bear

This is the 11th part of Hostage, Hope you like it! Thanks to everyone who reviews my stories and poems, you keep me writing!! Thanks  
  
Abby opened her eyes, and felt someone beside her, Carter.   
"Morning sleepy" He said smiling  
"Morning"   
She turned over and kissed Carter.   
"John, I think I'm in love" She said between the kisses.  
"With who?" He joked.  
"You" She said, and kissed him once again.  
  
Luka sat down on the front of his car, and stared out over the sea again. He felt so completely alone, he missed Abby. Even though it was he who had broken up, he missed her. His life had changed so much in the last ten years, he had changed. Before everything happened he had been smiling much more, he had been joking and laughing.   
Now he was only a shadow of his former self. He felt the cold breeze from the sea against his face. It made his mind clear, and let him forget all his worries for a while.   
His life had been going downwards since Daniella, Marko and Jasna died. He surely deserved it, to live alone. He should have got them out of the town at once when the war started. After that he had been with two others, who both had dropped him for another man. First Carol and then Abby  
  
"So Pepe, How do you think we should do this?"  
"I don't know, but make him suffer, and let him die slowly. And this time you are going to DIE!" Pepe had managed to get up again, and the anger glowed in his eyes.  
Before he knew, Cass had kicked him in his stomach. He lost his breath, and fell down on his knees, trying to catch his breath again. He knew that this time, he wouldn't get out of his apartment alive.   
  
He tried to run away inside his head, trying to get away from his body.   
Just like he had done when his father got too violent. He remembered it clearly, the image of the fist coming closer and closer his face as in slow motion, and the smell of smoke, alcohol and his father swearing.   
  
"I like it when you are down on your knees Dave!" Cass said.  
"Fuck you!" He yelled at her and spat on her sweater. She looked at him with her brown chilly eyes.  
"I'm really going to kill you this time Dave, no way you are going to survive this!"  
"Ooooh, Scary!" He said ironic, he wanted to die strong, not creeping around, begging for mercy.   
  
Cass kicked him hard in the stomach, over and over again. He felt puke coming up and he opened his mouth and a greenish liquid ran out over the floor. To his fear he could also see red. Red as in blood.  
"Oohh, Look Malucci, Blood" Pepe laughed  
"Isn't that a sign of a internal bleeding?" Cass asked smiling. She stopped kicking a few seconds, and he managed to get up again. He didn't like it, but it seemed like Cass could be right. If he didn't get to the hospital quickly he wouldn't see the sunrise tomorrow.  
  
Suddenly the doorbell rang, Dave looked at Cass, she nodded. And he walked over to open the door. He carefully opened it and looked outside.  
"Hey Dave, I was just on my way home when I noticed that you had forgotten this at the hospital, so I thought I could just drop by" Cleo said. After the hostage situation she had been thinking of Dave in an other way, she had noticed that he was a nice guy, behind all the jokes and comments.  
"Thanks" He said quickly and smiled.   
"Are you okay?" Cleo asked, she saw that he looked a little scared in some way. He felt a gun in his back, and knew he had to do something.  
"Yeah, just a little tired. So how is your son? I heard he was sick or something?" He said, he knew Cleo didn't have a son, but he had to get her to understand that he needed help. He just hoped Cleo got it.  
  
"Yeah, he is fine now, thanks for asking. Bye Dave" She looked at him with a question in her eyes. He nodded. She smiled, and walked away.  
  
"Good Job Malucci!" Cass said when he had closed the door. "You did a smart thing not informing her." He walked back into the kitchen and saw Pepe sitting on a chair, looking rather pale.  
"So how did you get away from the police?" Dave asked  
"Good try, Malucci. But don't think we're telling you." Pepe said.  
  
Cleo knew something was wrong and when she walked out of the building, she saw a woman standing with the back to the window. It could be one of Malucci's girlfriends, but most likely it was Cass. She walked normally out and sat down into Benton's car. He looked at her questioning.  
"What is it?" He asked  
"Drive back to the hospital, quickly! It seems like Malucci have visitors. Cass is there.  
"Cass?" Benton looked at her  
"Just drive Peter! It is an emergency!"  
  
Malucci felt like he was going to throw up again soon, his head and stomach hurt like hell.  
"You are going to die Malucci!" Cass said walking around him.  
"Aren't we all?" He answered ice-cold. Cass grabbed his hand and quickly bent a finger backwards. A sound of bone breaking broke the silence. Malucci was about to scream out, but Cass held her hand over his mouth.  
"Don't be a cry baby Malucci" She said.  
  
Benton stopped the car near the ambulance entrance, and Cleo stormed inside. She knew that she would buy a cellar phone soon. Kerry Weaver looked confused at her when she stormed inside.   
"Cleo? I though you went home?"  
"I need a phone! Cass is in Malucci's apartment!" The ER had never been so silent before. And everyone just stood still and watched as she picked up the phone and called 911.   
  
"I like the sound of bones breaking? Don't you too Malucci? Probably not. Especially when the sound comes from your bones breaking."  
Malucci looked at her, and he just hoped that Cleo had understood him.  
"Isn't it sad Malucci? That if you die here, today, no one will miss you, no one at all. Your parents thinks of you just like they think about a worm. And I don't think you are much of a doctor either." She smiled to him, and suddenly she bent another finger backwards, and again the sound of a bone breaking broke the silence.  
  
"You are a dead man, Dave"  
  
Just one more chapter to go! (I think, unless my sick fantasy comes up with something :)  



	12. Final Shot

Here it is the last part of Hostage, hope you like it! :)  
  
  
Hostage 12 **Final shot**  
  
Abby walked into the ER, and noticed that it was silent a tense situation, she walked over to the admin. desk and saw that most of the staff was gathered around Cleo.  
"What is it?" She asked Mark, who also was standing there.  
"Cleo stopped by Dave to deliver some things he had forgotten, and she thinks that Pepe and Cass is there, she is talking with the police now."  
  
Cass walked away and started walking around in the apartment, Pepe was pointing his gun at Dave. Malucci felt his hand pounding, and also his stomach, most of all that. It wasn't to much that he was afraid of dying, it was more that he didn't like the way it would happen. Slowly, and without a chance to defend himself.  
  
Luka looked at the clock, it was 9 a.m. He walked into the bar and sat down in front of the counter. Soon he had a large glass of beer in front of him. He drank fast, he just wanted to get all the thoughts out of his head, even though it was just for a few hours. And his shift didn't start in ten hours.  
  
Carter walked around in the apartment, cleaning up the breakfast. He tried to think about nice things like Abby and how much he loved her, but in some way he always ended thinking about his previous year, Lucy, Drugs, and then the hostage situation. He sat down on the couch and pulled his fingers through his hair.  
  
Cass came into the kitchen again,   
"I want to continue this in the living room, it's much more cosy." She smiled a dangerous smile to Dave.  
Pepe managed to stumble into the living room and sitting down in a old chair. Cass pointed her gun at Dave and walked made a sign that he should do as they said.  
Dave swallowed event though he didn't like to admit it, he was scared, scared to death.   
  
Luka ordered his fifth glass of beer, and swallowed quickly. It was so good to just forget everything, to drown his sorrows. He looked at his clock, it was only nine hours till his shift started. He walked out of the bar, and first now the alcohol showed it's effect. It was really hard to go straight forward.   
  
The police cars silently arrived near the building, they didn't want the hostage keepers to get even more frustrated.  
  
Dave looked at his hand, it was swollen and his stomach hurt like hell, suddenly he threw up again. Cass smiled  
"Oh, poor Dave are you sick? To bad, you just have to bear with it"  
  
The ER staff stared at the television screen, watching as the police surrounded the building. Abby looked around and saw that Luka wasn't there, she hadn't seen him since they had broken up.   
  
The SWATs started entering the building, up the stairs.   
  
Suddenly Pepe fell out of the chair, making Cass scream.  
"PEPE!!" She ran over to him, Malucci saw his possibility and managed to grab the gun, Pepe had lost. Just as he caught it Cass turned over, with fire in her eyes.   
"He is dead! It's your fault!!" She pulled the trigger, and Malucci did the same thing at exactly the same moment.  
  
The SWAT team, kicked up the door and ran into the apartment when they heard the sounds of the pistols. They found three people lying in there, two with bullet wounds in their chests, one of them was clearly dead.   
"We need three gurneys" One SWAT said in the walkie talkie.   
  
The news-reporter appeared at the screen and the whole ER staff silenced to hear what she said.  
"The hostage situation is now over, the SWAT team entered the building when they heard shooting. It is unclear of how it is with the involved people. Just wait a second, I get a message here right now…..   
It seems like one of the hostage keepers is dead, it is a female who have been in prison several times. The hostage is shot in the chest, and the situation is critical, the other hostage keeper is unconscious, but breathing"  
"County General we have two GSW, ETA 5 minutes, over"  
"We'll be waiting, over" Kerry said.  
"Come on!" She said as they heard the sounds of ambulances coming closer.   
  
Time of death 12.07 Kerry looked down at the lifeless body in front of her. It was tragic, she knew that he could have been something, but now he was dead. She slowly put the paddles down. She knew that now a chapter was ended for many in the ER. Cause now they didn't have to worry about Cass or Pepe anymore, since they both were dead. Even though Pepe had been cruel, she still thought it was sad that he died. He was probably a nice little boy long time ago, and now he was dead. He died of a big blood loss, and the blood weren't clotting.  
  
She walked out of the trauma room and to the room they were trying to rescue Dave in. She found it empty, only Benton standing there, taking of his gloves and glasses.   
"He is sent to the OR, he had some internal bleeding, but it wasn't anything to critical. "He will be fine." Benton answered before Kerry had the chance to ask.  
"Good, let me know when he is out" She said and walked to the admin. desk. She wanted to call everyone of the staff and tell them that there was nothing more to worry about.  
  
She dialled Carter's number, and waited. No one picked up. She put the phone back down, she was starting to get worried, This thing had really taken it's toll on him.   
"Abby?"  
"Yes Dr. Weaver?"   
"Do you know where Carter is? I mean since you're his sponsor?"  
"Um….You might want to try call my apartment" Abby blushed.  
"What?" Kerry asked confused.  
"Carter kinda have been sleeping over" She said. Kerry smiled and picked up the phone again.  
  
Carter woke up from the phone ringing. He grabbed it,  
"Hello?"  
"Carter?"  
"yeah?"  
"This is Kerry, I just wanted you to know that Pepe and Cass, well they are dead"  
"Dead?" Carter was suddenly wide awake.  
"Yeah, they died today, and they nearly killed Dave."  
"Is he okay?"  
"Yeah, he's up in surgery now."  
"Thanks for telling me, Kerry" It felt like a burden was lifted off his shoulders and he could breath better again."  
"No need to thank me, bye. See you on thursday."  
"Yeah, see you then" He put down the phone and smiled, finally he felt safe again.  
  
Luka woke up from his alarm clock. He looked at it and saw that he was starting at work in ten minutes. He swore, and quickly got dressed. He had a major hangover and his head hurt like hell, that was the last time he was going to drink for shore.  
  
He came fifteen minutes late, and when he walked inside the door to the ER, Kerry came over to him at once.  
"Dr. Kovac, you are late"  
"Sorry, Kerry. I have a major headache"  
"You should have called"  
"Yeah, I know, sorry"  
"Just don't make it a habbit" She said, and suddenly her pager started beeping.  
"I got to go, it's Dave."  
"Dave?" Luka asked confused   
"Ask Randi" Kerry said while hurrying towards the elevator.  
  
She quickly found Dave's room and stepped inside. Corday was there and checked Dave's vitals. Kerry saw that Dave was awake.  
"Hello, Dave. When are you going to stop scaring us like that?" She smiled at him, and he smiled back.  
"Sorry Doctor Weaver. I guess this means that I'll get some more hospital time?"  
"It seems like that" Corday said with her English accent  
"Is it possible to get pizza? I'm starving!" Dave said laughing.  
Kerry smiled back, and she knew that this was the end of a hard time, she knew it would take time for everything to come back to normal, but it would come.  
  
Abby smiled when she heard that Dave had woken up, she felt relieved. Now Carter and her could have good days together, without having to worry for Cass and Pepe.  
  
Luka looked at Abby, without her knowing, and he found himself smiling. It didn't really matter that they had broken up, the most important thing for him was that she was happy. And if she was happy with Carter, he would be happy for her. He had known a while that Abby and Carter was meant for each other. And he hoped that he sometime would find someone to share everything with.  
  
  
That was that! Hope you liked it! Thanks for reviewing and reading! Big Thanks To FatCat and The She Devil^. 


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